What is the importance of "patience in the wild" in The Call of the Wild?

Surviving the harsh conditions of the Northland requires patience and extreme skill. Patience allows a person (or animal) to accurately judge the environment and prevents them from making fatal mistakes.
London illustrates the importance of patience by depicting the consequences of acting impulsively in the wild. The inexperienced Hal, Charles, and Mercedes demonstrate a lack of patience and respect for the treacherous environment. London writes:

The wonderful patience of the trail which comes to men who toil hard and suffer sore, and remain sweet of speech and kindly, did not come to these two men and the woman. They had no inkling of such a patience. (52)

As a result of their lack of patience and inexperience, several sled dogs die under their care, and the group makes a fatal mistake by attempting to hurry across thin ice. The entire group and their remaining sled dogs die as a result of their impatience and inexperience.
In contrast, individuals who are patient and remain steadfast in the harsh environment are rewarded. While Buck is fighting a moose, he exercises patience and ends up defeating the massive beast. London writes:

There is a patience of the wild—dogged, tireless, persistent as life itself—that holds motionless for endless hours the spider in its web, the snake in its coils, the panther in its ambuscade; this patience belongs peculiarly to life when it hunts its living food; and it belonged to Buck. (79)

By exercising patience, Buck does not make any fatal mistakes and defeats the impatient, rash animal.